Infertility and Physical Therapy
How Can Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Help With Infertility?
Infertility is an issue that more and more women are struggling with. Infertility is generally defined in the medical community by no success of getting or keeping a pregnancy when trying for one year.
This problem may be more common than you think. 1 out of 8 couples struggle to get and stay pregnant, and 1 out of 4 couples experience miscarriage. The need for fertility treatment has been increasing due to an increase in the average age of women trying to start a family.
In this article, we’ll review how pelvic floor physical therapy can help with infertility. Keep reading below to learn more.
What is Infertility?
Before we get into how physical therapy can help with infertility, let’s review the basics.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infertility is defined as “not being able to get pregnant (conceive) after one year (or longer) of unprotected sex”.
There are many reasons for infertility, and both men and women can contribute to this issue.
Knowing the Female Cycle
A basic understanding of the female cycle and when fertility peaks is a great place to start when trying to conceive. The day you start your period is day 1 of the cycle.
Fertility peaks sometime between days 10-14 of the cycle. You want to make sure to have intercourse with your partner on that day and also the next day or the day after that.
Causes of Infertility
Causes for infertility in men
You first want to make sure to get a sperm analysis for the male partner and clear any issues there. Many times, if sperm motility is decreased, this can be improved with lifestyle changes, including smoking cessation, weight loss, healthy eating, exercise, and good sleep quality.
Causes for infertility in women
Once sperm can be ruled out, women could be experiencing infertility as a result of one of several health conditions:
ovulation disorders (PCOS, thyroid problems)
hypothalamic amenorrhea (not getting your period for several months)
inflammation
endometriosis
If you have been missing your period for several months, this is likely due to the body being under stress from dieting, heavy training, or an intense emotional event. Inflammation in the body can result from infection including STDs or BV, and can be improved with diet, exercise, good sleep, and stress management.
Physical Therapy for Fertility
Physical therapy can help address infertility. A trained physical therapist can perform manual techniques to mobilize the uterus and ovaries. This can improve blood flow to the organs to decrease inflammation and improve function. This can also help to break up any adhesions or scar tissue resulting from procedures or endometriosis.
Interested in boosting your fertility? Talk with one of our Maryland pelvic floor therapists today!
